Two-wheeled vehicle



(No Model.)

B. H. CARPENTER. TWO WHEELED'VEHIOLE.

No. 437,749. Patented 001;. 7, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND H. CARPENTER, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

TWO-WHEELED VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,749, dated. October 7, 1890.

Application filed July 9, 1890. Serial No. 358,129.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, EDMUND II. CARPENTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Two-Vt heeled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to two-wheeled vehicles. Its objects are to provide means to hang the body low, render it easy of access, overcome the objectionable horse motion, and to adjust the body to a substantially horizontal position whether alarge or small horse be used. These objects I accomplish by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in connection with which the invention will be first fully described, and then particularly referred to, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cart embodying my invention, the wheel being removed, on a vertical section taken through the axle just inside the shoulder. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Upon the axle A near the collars at each end are mounted two longitudinal side springs B. For strength there are placed between these springs and the axles blocks 1), which are transversely grooved to receive the upper portion of the axle. The shafts C are secured upon the center of these springs directly above the axle, preferably by means of the strap-irons c, which are secured to the under sides of the shafts. These straps bend downwardly and have at the center of their bent parts flat bearings to rest upon top of the springs, or ordinary bent shafts may be secured directly on the springs. The shafts O, springs B, and blocks b are rigidly secured together and upon the axle by clips I) which pass around them, down upon each side of the axle, and through clip-bars b Their ends below the the clip-bars are screw-threaded to receive tightening-nuts b Below the axle and directly underneath the springs B are suspended similar springs D. The ends of each pair of springs are connected by long swinging shackles or hangers E. The eyes of the springs are shackled in these hangers by the customary shackle-bolts d d, which pass through the lugs of the hang- (No model.)

ers and the spring-eyes, and are fastened in the usual manner. he lower lugs of the hangers have a series of perforations for adjusting the ends of the lower springs up or down. The purpose of this arrangement is to set the body, which is supported on these springs, in proper position, according to the height of the horse.

The body F is cut away or recessed transversely underneath, so as to allow it to pass upon each side of the axle and rest upon the cross-bar G, the ends of which rest and are clipped upon the center of the springs D. Strap-irons f are secured upon each side of thebody-bottom, crossingthe recessed portion, and the parts of these straps which cross the recess are perforated to receive the bolts f, which secure the body to the cross-bar G. It is obvious that the bar G may be made wide enough, at least at the part of it which is un derneath the body, to cross the recess and receive the fastening-bolts which secure the body to it; but the form shown is preferable.

I have also shown a strap H for connecting the front of the body to the cross-bar of the thills to prevent the body from rocking too far in either direction, especially when getting into or out of the cart either from front or rear; but it is not indispensable.

The body is arranged to be entered from the rear. For this purpose the seat I is made in two parts and hinged at its ends to the sides of the body, so that eitherhalf maybe turned to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3. Each part of the seat has its own independent lazy-back J secured to it, the supporting-irons j of which have rule-joint hinges at j to admit of the back being turned down upon the seat, so as to escape the wheels when the seat is turned up. \Vith this provision of hinged back the vehicle may be conveniently entered from the rear, even when the seat is rigidly secured in place.

To the rear of the body-bottom is secured a step K, and the body may also, if desired, be provided with hinged end-gates.

The two pairs of springs B D, arranged upon opposite sides, as shown, give a very easy-riding vehicle; but if less spring action is desirable rigid bars may be substituted for either springs B or D.

WVhen the springs B D are arranged parallel, as sh0wn,the cart is suitable for a horse of medium height. If a larger horse is used, the forward ends of the springs D are dropped or the rear ends elevated to adjust the body to a horizontal position. If asmaller horse is used, the rear ends of the springs should of course be arranged lower in the hangers E than the forward ends. As the body is supported upon the lower springs, and as these are suspended from the springs or bars se cured upon the axle by the long hangers, the motion of the horse is taken up by the hangers and not communicated to the body.

What IcIaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a two-wheeled'vehicle, the combination,

substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the axle, the side springs secured rigidly thereon near each end, the shafts rigidly secured upon the side springs and to the axle, depending hangers shackled to the ends of said springs, similar springs suspended from said hangers directly below the upper springs, and the body hung upon the lower springs.

2. The combination, in a two-wheeled vehicle, of the axle, springs B and shafts C c, se-

cured thereon, the springs D- and hangers E, for suspending saidsprings from the ends of springs B, said hangers having a series of perforations for regulating the ends of said springs 13 D nearer to or farther from each other, the cross-bar resting upon and secured to the center of the lower springs, and the body recessed to'pass the axle and secured to said cross-bar, substantially as herei-nbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the axle, the block b, springs B and shafts C a, secured thereon, parallel under springs and swinging shackles for suspending said under springs from the upper springs, the cross-bar secured to the center of the under springs, the body-bottom recessed to pass below the axle, the straps f, secured to the bottom and crossing the recessed portion, and the bolts securing the body to the bar, substantially as set forth.

4. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the combination of the axle, the body recessed to pass below the axle, the side springs secured upon the axle, the shafts 0, having the downwardly-bent straps c to rest upon the springs, the clips for securing said springs and straps c to the axle, the under springs and swinging hangers connecting their ends to. the ends of the springs above them, and the cross-bar for supporting the body from the under springs. 5. Inatwo-Wheeled vehicle,the combination of the axle, side springs and shafts secured thereon, the under springs and swinginghangers connecting the ends of the upper and lower springs, and the strap connecting the front of the body and the cross-bar of the shafts, substantially as shown and described.

EDMUND H. CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR T. HIMES, CHAS. W. PARKER. 

